


Whatever You Need, Lovey

by NerdyBirdy6602



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Autistic Character, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Garthy O'Brien Is A Great Dad, Insecure Ayda Aguefort, Light Angst, Panic Attack, Post-sophomore year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27673364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdyBirdy6602/pseuds/NerdyBirdy6602
Summary: Ayda was clearly a mess. The bags under her eyes indicated she hadn’t slept in days. Her vest was cocked, her wings extended in fight or flight response, and she had numerous books stacked high in her arms. Ayda protected those books with her life, and to do that they often remained at the Compass Point Library. This was serious, then.Or, Ayda Aguefort learns that her paramour is in Hell, and she seeks the help of the one and only Garthy O'Brien.
Relationships: Ayda Aguefort & Garthy O'Brien, Ayda Aguefort/Figueroth Faeth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 54





	Whatever You Need, Lovey

**Author's Note:**

> So Ayda is still in my brain this week, so I wrote about her. I also just finished Pirates of Leviathan, so I had to write about Garthy (but there are no spoilers for that side quest, I promise). When will I get back to the unfinished chapter fic I was writing for the Witcher? The world may never know. (Hopefully in a few weeks).
> 
> P.S. Special thanks again to my wonderful best friend m3rcut10 for encouraging me to post this one!

“Garthy O’Brien!”

The shrill shriek was unmistakably the one and only Ayda Aguefort. The young half-phoenix was a familiar presence in the Gold Gardens, but what made Garthy whip their head around was the utter fear and alarm in her voice. Very few things made Ayda panic in such a loud manner. Usually her frustration was quiet and melancholy, with her stating her thoughts in a clear, concise manner. Garthy was familiar with soothing the darling girl when she was like that.

This Ayda? This Ayda was one they had never witnessed.

She was clearly a mess. The bags under her eyes indicated she hadn’t slept in days. Her vest was cocked, her wings extended in fight or flight response, and she had numerous books stacked high in her arms. Ayda protected those books with her life, and to do that they often remained at the Compass Point Library. This was serious, then.

“Lovey,” they called, standing from the bar to meet her. “Slow down. What brings you to the Gold Gardens?”

“My paramour is trapped in Hell, and I have yet to learn the Plane Shift spell,” she answered as if it was obvious. She sniffled, but rambled, “My mistake, really. I should have announced to the four winds that Figueroth Faeth was claimed by a wizard. Then these beasts would have the sense not to touch what is already claimed. At this moment it’s nothing personal, just demons being demons. But they will surely pay for what they’ve done, make no mistake. I’ll obliterate them. I’ll erase them from time and space. Better yet, I’ll make sure—”

“Ayda,” Garthy interrupted, watching her jolt before staring at them with wide eyes. “I have no idea what you’re going on about, lovey. Give me just a moment.”

They stared out at the crowds of pirates drinking ale and being merry, clearly unperturbed by Ayda’s outburst. They hated to do this, but Ayda was far more important. Loudly, in order to be heard, they called, “Everyone, we have a bit of a family emergency in the Gold Gardens. Business is closed for the evening. Terribly sorry for the inconvenience. Good night.”

Many took the request quite seriously and scurried out, leaving gold for whatever they drank. Garthy was respected in this place, so it didn’t surprise them. However, there were a few gentlemen that grumbled in response, but continued about their business. The half-celestial’s inherent energy crackled throughout the Gold Gardens. Garthy’s golden irises gleamed with raw power, and they summoned all they had in order to look menacing enough to scare them off rather than incite a fight. They didn’t have the time or the patience for fisticuffs at the moment, not to mention that it simply wasn’t their style.

“Now, gentlemen,” Garthy crooned, their voice darkened by their own righteous anger. “I think I asked quite nicely, didn’t I? I’m not one for violence, and I don’t think you’d like to see me that way, now would you?”

Terrified, the men shook their heads and ran, practically pushing past each other to get out the door first. Garthy’s magical energy seeped out of them slowly, returning the Gold Gardens to its peaceful atmosphere. The crackle of power had settled to a gentle, reassuring hum that ran through the building itself. They turned to look at Ayda once they recovered only to find her scouring over her numerous books at the bar. With a heavy sigh, they poured themself a drink and sat beside her.

“—must be something I’m missing,” she mumbled listlessly, scanning the pages. “You are one of the most powerful wizards of your time, and you can’t figure out a simple Plane Shift spell? There must be something I’m missing. There must be something I—”

“Easy, lovey,” Garthy murmured, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Plane Shift is a very powerful spell. Why do you need it so badly?”

“Figueroth Faeth is trapped in some circle of Hell, and I have no other means of entry,” she explained briefly, not making eye contact just yet. “Adaine informed me some time ago. This is my only chance to save her from a fate worse than death. Also, I promised her I would figure out the spell to break her father from the ruby but, obviously, I have priorities.”

Garthy blinked in surprise, but quickly found their voice. “You mentioned something about a paramour. Who exactly is that? Lovey, you were practically married to the Compass Point a few days ago. When did you get time to find a partner?”

“You can’t marry a building, Garthy,” she muttered, still sifting through her papers. She didn’t find this line of questioning useful or relevant, but she hurriedly explained, “Figueroth kissed me. That almost definitely makes us girlfriends. She is my paramour, and if I cannot kiss her again I will spontaneously combust!”

Garthy would have laughed at Ayda’s quite adorable crush if not for the desperate tears of fire running down her face. Clearly, she had fallen hard and quick for the tiefling girl. Garthy prayed that her feelings were reciprocated, lest his darling girl’s heart be shattered irreparably. Ayda was a precious child who deserved the world, and she deserved a partner that would move heaven and hell to provide it.

“Alright, sweetheart,” they purred. “I’m sure Miss. Faeth is fine. She looked like a girl who could take care of herself. Besides, have you considered her lineage?”

Ayda finally stared up at them, clearly confused and frustrated. “Her lineage? I… I think her father is an Archdevil? He’s definitely something powerful and infernal, which is why he was placed in the ruby to start with. Her mother is a wood elf. What does this have to do with anything?”

“She might just be doing business, dear,” Garthy stated gently, still not sure how fragile Ayda was in this state. “There’s a certain law and order down there too. If she’s the daughter of an Archdevil, which is a powerful position indeed, then there’s probably some laws to protect her.”

Ayda shook her head furiously, and Garthy finally noticed her scratching at her arms. She had explained once that it had a grounding effect when anxiety overwhelmed her. They’d never liked it, and it had been a long time since she had resorted to these self-destructive manners of calming herself. Garthy tried to stop her, reaching out their hands to hold hers. Instead, she only pulled away hard enough to knock herself off her chair.

Wobbling on her talons to remain upright, she screamed, “I cannot live with failing her! If she dies there, amongst those demons and devils, I will be left with this Figueroth-sized hole in my chest that I cannot heal. She… She is different, Garthy. She doesn’t mock me. She’s one of the only people in this godforsaken place to value me as something worthwhile. I just need to learn Plane Shift. That’s all. I came here for your help because you said I could. I didn’t ask you to explain why she might be down there. I, quite frankly, don’t need to know why she’s there! I just need her here, and I need her safe.”

“Oh darling,” they sighed, watching her still scratch and pick at the glowing runes on her arms. “Alright. This is important to you, I get that. I’ll help you, however I can, but you have to calm down. Lovey, you’re scaring me.”

Ayda froze, winced, and then steeled her expression. Perfectly masking any emotions that might have played on her face before, her face grew blank and increasingly hard to read. If it weren’t for the steam of unspilled tears coming from her eyes, Garthy wouldn’t have known there was a damn thing wrong. The thought of them forcing her to hide made their heart ache. She was the one they had always trusted, and somehow they’d betrayed that.

“My apologies,” she stated bluntly, hands now fidgeting at her sides. “I had no intention of scaring you. I should have known better. I do know better. I have kept my composure in more serious times than this one. Emotions are difficult, but outbursts like that are not… good.”

Deciding to forgo words, they stepped forward and wrapped their arms around her. Garthy didn’t care that her skin burned as if she was running a fever. The way Ayda melted into the touch and sobbed was enough to tell them this was the right decision. Harnessing their strength, Garthy lifted the ridiculously tall teen in their arms, much like they had when she was just a child. The tears scorched their skin, but thankfully their celestial side gave them a bit of resistance.

“Outbursts are fine,” Garthy piped up as they sat in one of the comfier corners of the Gold Gardens. “I didn’t mean that you couldn’t express how you felt, lovey. You’re with me, after all. I’d never tell you to hide yourself away, I just meant that these things are best looked at with a clear head. You can tell me anything. You know that.”

“I upset you.”

The answer was so small and distressed, Garthy nearly broke down into tears along with her. However, taking a deep breath, they answered, “You worried me, scratching at yourself like that. Darling, you haven’t used that as a way of calming down in a long while. I don’t want you scarring yourself up without a good story to tell about it.”

They wink at her then, and Ayda bursts into a fit of chirping giggles. The roiling balls of flame that were her eyes still sparked with remaining tears, but she didn’t seem as troubled. Garthy kissed her forehead affectionately and grinned.

“There we are, sweetheart,” they soothed. “There’s my Ayda.”

She sniffled and squeezed Garthy with all her might, forcing some of the air out of their lungs in a huff. They took it in stride and rubbed her back. After a moment, they heard a very quiet, “Thank you, Garthy.”

They shrugged. “I’d give you the world if I had it, my darling girl. This is the least I can do. Now, would you like to get at that spell?”

She nodded vigorously, but it wasn’t in the panicked manner that it was before. Now, she was simply eager to get to the bottom of things. Hopping out of Garthy’s arms, she rushed to her books and started babbling, “I’ve been studying this endlessly for days, Garthy. This shouldn’t be so hard. This isn’t the most difficult spell in my arsenal.”

Garthy stood, walking calmly to her books. They glanced over the extensive notes Ayda made and tried to take in as much as they could. An idea striking them, they asked, “You don’t happen to have Find Familiar stocked, do you?”

Ayda furrowed her brow. “I have it, but I’ve never cast it. What use would it be right now?”

They shrugged. “They’re supposed to be helpful little things. Perhaps you’ll have an easier time learning it?”

She thought about that for a moment. Ayda wasn’t sure how helpful this would be for her, but she trusted Garthy’s judgement. Closing her eyes, she focused intently on the spell itself. Muttering the verbal components with ease, she opened her eyes to a most beautiful tropical fish. Garthy was stunned too, and reached out to brush their hand against the bubble of water that contained the familiar.

“Excellent work as always,” Garthy praised. “Interesting choice, too. What about a name?”

Ayda cocked her head, breaking her gaze with the fish to look at her friend. “A name? I have to name it?”

Garthy laughed. “Yes, darling. It’s like having a pet. I believe your wizard friend, Adaine, named her frog Boggy.”

Ayda hummed, watching her fish with a curious gaze. She wanted the name to mean something. She wasn’t one to do things without some intention behind it. With a gasp, she exclaimed, “Garthy and Adaine the Fish!”

Garthy raised a brow, clearly confused as to why there was a fish named after them. “I’m sorry, lovey?”

“I named it after two of the most important people in my life,” she explained, humming softly as she played with the familiar. The fish didn’t make any noise, but stared up at his master with some level of adoration. “You’re the one who raised me, and Adaine is my best friend. This is a logical response, and a symbolic gift to you and Adaine at once.”

They couldn’t help the grin that spread across their face. Garthy had never been so thrilled to have a fish named after them. Instead of thanking her directly, they quirked an eyebrow and teased, “Fig isn’t a part of the name? I’m shocked, darling.”

Ayda’s fiery hair flared high into the air out of embarrassment before she answered, “I thought there might be an odd connotation in using my paramour’s name in a fish’s name.”

Garthy nodded knowingly, trying to reign in their laughter. “You’re really infatuated with that tiefling girl, aren’t you?”

“Figueroth is… resplendent. Beautiful. Fascinating,” she admitted as her hair flared again. Thinking on her feelings for a moment, she continued, “She makes me feel that it is logical to love me, despite my many flaws.”

The half-orc smiled sweetly. “Of course it is, lovey. I don’t know how bearable Leviathan would be without you.”

Ayda took this in, nodding as she understood what they meant. Then, she met their eyes and asked, “You attract the attention of many individuals in a sensual manner. Is there a secret to being attractive? I solemnly swear to be in your debt if you tell me. A wizard’s word is her bond, of course.”

Garthy’s eyes widened as they simultaneously choked on their drink. Well, that was unexpected. This was most definitely not the route they expected this conversation to take. After recovering, they patted her cheek good-naturedly. “Sweetheart, you’re a tad young for my methods, I’m afraid. Just be the wonderful Ayda you already are. You’ll get her and keep her that way.”

“I gave her my feather and my vow,” she informed them, a solemn expression on her face. This was the most serious promise she could make to anyone. It showed a level of devotion that she gave to very few people.

Garthy stared wide-eyed for a moment. They glanced down to the feather in their own pocket. As far as Garthy had known, they had been the only one to have been granted that privilege. It hurt for a moment, but then they sighed. Ayda was a young woman now. She was growing up, and they couldn’t protect her forever… Which was not to say that she often needed their protection these days anyway. Ayda was stronger and more capable than anyone they had ever known. Garthy wasn’t often called upon to fight her battles, but they knew they would be there if the moment ever arose.

“So it is serious,” they stated quietly, grinning at her. “I’m so glad you’re happy, lovey. Really, you’ve grown up so quickly.”

Ayda gave them a smile, and then glanced at her books. They practically watched her mind shifting gears as she tactically focused on what she came here to do in the first place. “Garthy… Plane Shift is a sorcerer’s spell as well, yes? Do you know it?”

They shook their head with a sigh. “Can’t say I do. I don’t have much use for it in the Gold Gardens, darling. You know I don’t leave here often. I will help you as much as I can, but we cast differently anyway. You might be better off asking your divination wizard friend. Sorry, lovey.”

She huffed, shooing off their apology like an annoying fly. As she flipped through the pages, she said, “No apologies necessary. I just thought I could speed up acquiring Figueroth, but I’ll just have to work harder. Anything for a wizard’s paramour.”

Garthy gave her a knowing look. “But not too hard. You’ve worked hard for as long as I’ve known you. You’ll work yourself into the ground this way, lovey.”

Ayda pursed her lips, looking away for a moment. The look in her eyes told them she believed she didn’t work hard enough. With the spell looming over her mind, the sentiment saddened them, but didn’t surprise them any. She was always so hard on herself and no matter how much Garthy tried to reassure her, they knew it wouldn’t be enough. Always working on doing and being better was in her nature, exhausting as it was.

“I can’t promise you anything,” she said solemnly, giving them a visible once over. “I am only doing as you’ve asked me to, which is to be myself.”

“I know, darling.”

The two sat in comfortable silence at the bar for a while with G.A.F. in his water bubble floating at Ayda’s shoulder. Garthy gave what little assistance they could, but after a few hours they could tell she was growing restless and frustrated. She hadn’t made much progress with the weighty spell, and they could tell it was infuriating her. When Ayda slammed one of her books closed with all of her might, they placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Ayda,” they said. She looked at them with a scowl on her face, but was clearly still listening. “Go see your friends. They might be able to help you more than I can.”

“And go empty-handed? I can’t,” she voiced pointedly. “They are depending on me to have this done. I promised I would get this done. What am I if not a woman of my word?”

Garthy tipped her chin so that they were looking directly into her eyes. Reassuringly, they answered, “You still are a woman of your word. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. You’ve already asked me, and I’m proud of you for that. If Adaine truly is your best friend she will welcome you with open arms, lovey.”

Ayda hesitated, but sighed in defeat. “You’re right. I shall use the Sending spell to ensure my presence is welcome first.”

She sends her message to Adaine quickly, watching Garthy’s lips quirk into a smile. If nothing else, their approval felt nice. Ayda relished in that feeling until she received her friend’s affirmative to arrive. Standing and collecting her papers, she announced, “It’s time.”

Garthy stood to meet her, enveloping her in a tight embrace. “I know. Come home safely, lovey.”

“I refuse to make promises I cannot keep, Garthy.”

They groaned, holding her by the shoulders and kissing her forehead. Teasingly, he muttered, “Can’t even humor me on this one. Ayda Aguefort, you are cruel.”

“You love me anyway,” she answered. She gave an exaggerated wink, as though she was mimicking what she had seen Garthy do millions of times before, and was gone in a flash of fiery sparks.

“I do,” they mumbled to the empty room. “I do indeed.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Feel free to check me out on tumblr if you want to! As always, kudos, comments, and constructive criticism are always welcome. Have a lovely day!


End file.
